Oxford Biomedica plc, a gene and cell therapy group, has appointed Dr. Frank Mathias as chief executive officer (CEO) and board director, effective March 2023.
 
Mathias brings world-class innovation and contract development and manufacturing experience to Oxford Biomedica. Since 2016 he has served as CEO of Rentschler Biopharma SE, which he has successfully developed into a leading global, full-service CDMO. During the past six years, Mathias has overseen a tripling of revenues, transformed the business, increased efficiencies and enhanced profitability even faster than revenues. At Rentschler, he also led the acquisition and rapid integration of a new site from Shire in Milford near Boston, U.S., and the establishment of a new gene therapies unit in Stevenage, UK. During his tenure, Rentschler was also the first CDMO in Europe to support the commercial production of the mRNA vaccine for BioNTech and also successfully transferred the commercial production process for Curevac’s mRNA vaccine.
 
Prior to Rentschler, Mathias was CEO of publicly listed Medigene AG, an immuno-oncology company focusing on the development of T-cell-based cancer therapies. Over the course of his 30-year career, Mathias has also served in senior roles at leading global pharmaceutical companies including Amgen, Servier and Hoechst AG. In 2019 he was awarded the title of “EY Entrepreneur of the Year” in Germany.
 
Dr. Roch Doliveux will remain as Interim CEO of Oxford Biomedica until March 2023, at which point Mathias will fully take over the role of CEO and Doliveux will resume the role of Non-Executive Chair.
 
Commenting on the appointment, Doliveux said: “I, on behalf of the Board, am delighted to welcome Frank as CEO of Oxford Biomedica. Frank is an outstanding patient centric leader with impressive experience from a top-end CDMO as well as from innovative biopharma companies. He has a strong track record of delivering growth and driving performance and innovation which are core strengths required to implement our strategy of becoming an innovative global viral vector leader. I know that Frank will drive our viral vector leadership to unleash the potential of cell and gene therapy for biopharma companies to save many lives.”
 
Mathias commented: “Oxford Biomedica is a world-leader in the innovative development and manufacture of viral vectors for life-saving cell and gene therapies, demonstrated by the ever-expanding customer base of now more than 20 programs across all vector types. With momentum continuing to build across the business, I am excited by the potential for the company. I look forward to joining Oxford Biomedica and working with all of the staff, the Board and partners to execute the strategy and deliver the next phase of growth as a world-class, innovation-led CDMO helping to improve the lives of patients.”